Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 44: Elite troops from the Central Plains emerge from Mount Tai to recruit a group of heroes from Mount Tai!
As dusk settled and snow blanketed the mountain gate, the Dongyue Tianqi Temple disappeared into the vast expanse of white. The disciples of the Taiping Dao lit a bonfire outside the temple, watching the grey sky turn ashen, like ink staining the horizon. One disciple gazed at the scene for a long time, then sighed softly.

"The heavens are silent, the yellow sky is yet to dawn... Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs."

"Swish...swish~"

Inside Tianqi Temple, the smoke from dry grass and pine branches slowly escaped through the cracks in the temple doors, mingling with the slightly bitter aroma of charcoal fire, and the damp sweat and muddy smell from the people's raincoats, all blending into a lingering, heavy atmosphere.

Zhang Rao, the chieftain of Qingzhou, was such a robust and mature man. He was about forty years old, looking as old as Bu Si. Guan Hai, standing beside him, was rugged, fierce, tall, and strong, in the prime of his thirties. Between the two, it was clear that Zhang Rao was the leader of the Qingzhou chieftains, with Guan Hai as his deputy.

"Your Excellency, the Great Teacher! The situation in Taishan Prefecture is such that it is filled with mountains of all sizes, especially in the central and eastern parts, where they stretch as far as the eye can see. The only places suitable for growing wheat and millet are the main stream of the Wen River in the north, a few small valleys in the middle, and the tributaries of the Yi River in the south..."

"And the most fertile and precious part of the entire Taishan Prefecture is located on both banks of the Wen River in the north, from the Wen River Valley to the Daiyin Plain, from Juping in the west to Laiwu in the east..."

Zhang Rao's voice was calm and his points were clear. He first described the terrain of Taishan County, focusing on the Wen River in the north of Taishan County, before continuing.

"Taishan County is a poor mountain county, with not many large tracts of arable land, nor many powerful clans. There are only two prominent families with thousands of acres of land, both located on opposite banks of the Wen River. One is the Bao family of Liangfu County, whose ancestors are said to have produced a high-ranking official, the Commandant of the Capital Region. The Bao family currently has a patriarch who is exceptionally brave and strong, in his thirties, named Bao Xin. He is quite famous in the county and seems to have connections in Luoyang as well?"

"There's another family, the Wang family from Fenggao County, which is even more famous than the Bao family. Their head of the family is a scholar of the Qingliu school who has always been in Luoyang. It seems that he was even publicly called a 'good friend' by some famous scholar Cai Yong, and he is very likely to become a high-ranking official... Oh, the head of the Wang family is named Wang Kuang!"

After mentioning the only two prominent families in Taishan County, Zhang Rao thought for a moment and then smiled.

"Aside from the Bao and Wang families, there are hardly any other powerful families with around a thousand acres of land. The remote mountain areas of Mount Tai are dirt poor, just a bunch of old clods of earth and remote hills. The land in the mountains is fragmented and barren; without fields and land, you can't support a population. The powerful families of Mount Tai are nowhere near as powerful as the Li family of Jiyin, who own thousands or even tens of thousands of acres of land and support hundreds of retainers!..."

"Below the powerful families, the most common are 'wealthy households' or 'village chiefs' with hundreds of acres of land. These are families of dozens or even hundreds of people who manage hundreds or thousands of acres of mountain fields and build a mountain village or stronghold with the same surname. In Taishan County, the mountain people rarely have small, scattered farms; they all stick together like this. Individual small farmers simply cannot survive in the mountains; they can't even get water for their crops..."

Upon hearing this, Guan Hai nodded, puffed out his chest, and replied with a smile.

"Yes! The Taishan mountain area is full of various mountain villages, inhabited by huddled mountain people! These mountain people are fierce, not easy to bully. If they kill a tax collector and hide in the mountains, it's very difficult for the imperial court to catch them. Like last year, in the Mengshan area south of Taishan Prefecture, there was a boy named Zang Ba from Feiguo County, who I think wasn't even of age yet. His father, Zang Jie, was a prison clerk in the county, and he was convicted by the prefect and was about to be beheaded..."

"As it turned out, that brat Zang Ba actually gathered a dozen or twenty clansmen and wandering knights, and launched a surprise attack on the prefect's conscripted soldiers, numbering over a hundred, completely routing them! Then, he killed the prefect with two blows, rescued his father, and fled with his clansmen; they haven't been caught yet... But his story of filial piety, bravery, and martial prowess has spread throughout the entire prefecture, making the officials of the imperial court live in fear..."

"That's right, exactly! Officials from the imperial court don't dare to extort or act tyrannically when collecting taxes in Taishan County, because the mountain people really do kill… My Taiping Dao has occasionally gone to the mountains, mainly to perform rituals to heal the sick and save lives. But the mountain paths are difficult to traverse, and the people living there are scattered, making it far less convenient than preaching in the large county of Qingzhou, where there are many believers…"

Upon hearing about the situation in Taishan County, Zhang Chengfu remained silent in thought. The mountainous terrain and river valleys of Taishan, to some extent, resembled a smaller version of Bingzhou.

The characteristics of this type of prefecture were that "powerful families were not large, local strongmen were not powerful, and ordinary people were not weak." The mountain people lived in close-knit communities, the powerful local strongmen owned only a few acres of land, and the government was relatively restrained. The conflicts between people and land, and between the upper and lower classes, were not as acute. Also, due to the protection of the mountainous terrain, the impact of droughts, floods, and plagues was far less severe than in western Yanzhou.

Due to its small population and barren land, the Taishan mountain area has not been a priority for the Taiping Dao (Way of Great Peace) to spread its teachings in recent years. Furthermore, the imperial court's governance of Taishan Prefecture has leaned towards maintaining stability rather than collecting taxes. Taishan Prefecture's tax revenue is far less than that of western Yanzhou. The government rarely has the authority to manage the mountainous region, leaving it to the mountain people to govern themselves.

Before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, during the period of "peace and prosperity," these capable and wealthy households and mountain dwellers of Mount Tai had virtually no avenues for advancement and often became either "bandits" or "heroes." In other words, these were allies that the Way of Peace could recruit and unite!
"Teacher, Uncle-Master, and all leaders! The land of Mount Tai is the foundation upon which our Taiping Dao can operate for a long time. And these wealthy families and mountain people in the mountains are resilient, skilled in battle, and familiar with the mountain terrain. They are also worthy of our mission and our efforts to unite them!"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Chengfu bowed to everyone and solemnly began his narration.

"The imperial court's control over Taishan Prefecture is the weakest! As long as we penetrate deep into Taishan to spread our teachings and win over the hearts of the mountain people, then suddenly launch an uprising, eliminate the Bao and Wang families, and destroy the prefectural capital, Fenggao County... our Taiping Dao can then establish a solid foundation in the Wen River Valley and expand throughout the entire Taishan Prefecture!..."

"This area of ​​the Taishan Mountains, spanning two to three hundred li, is a region where our Taiping Dao should invest significant effort and manage it well! With the advantage of Mount Tai's terrain and the bravery of its inhabitants, even tens of thousands of border troops would not be able to easily quell it. Moreover, as long as we control the Wen River Valley, we can establish a direct link with the Daye Marsh to the west, allowing the Yellow Turbans of Qing and Yan provinces to travel conveniently through the Wen River and support each other!..."

"Heaven bears witness! If our Taiping Dao wishes to establish a foothold in Qilu, we must seize Mount Tai and Daye Marsh! The elite troops of the Central Plains will come from Mount Tai. If we cannot win over these resilient and valiant mountain people of Mount Tai, they will inevitably be conscripted by the imperial court and become its soldiers! This increase and decrease will cause a tremendous shift in the balance of power between the two sides!..."

Upon hearing Zhang Chengfu's "strategy," Zhang Bao, the physician, seemed to ponder. The surrounding commanders exchanged glances, their faces showing disapproval.

Preaching in Taishan County was incredibly difficult; it took a strenuous effort to gather even a few hundred followers, most of whom were impoverished mountain people struggling to even get enough to eat. In contrast, in other surrounding counties and kingdoms, such as Jibei, Jinan, Qi, Beihai, and Langya, preaching could attract tens of thousands of followers, and their material conditions were far superior!

Compared to the other two, who would want to go and hide in a remote mountain valley? Even if the uprising started in the year of Jiazi, the leader with the most people and the strongest power would definitely have a better position!
"Heaven is above, and purity resides in our hearts! Mount Tai is located in the heart of Qi and Lu, and the propagation of Taoism in Mount Tai Prefecture must be taken seriously!"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao observed for a moment, then spoke calmly. He first looked at Zhang Rao and said gently.

“Zhang Rao, I know you have a large following in the Beihai Kingdom, spreading your teachings. But if you cannot control the Wen River and occupy the Wen River Valley in Taishan County, then the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou and Yanzhou will be divided in two by Taishan! It will be extremely difficult to connect them, let alone get the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou involved in the situation in the Central Plains…”

Seeing the troubled expression on the face of the Qingzhou chieftain, the Great Teacher pondered for a moment and then looked at the younger Guan Hai.

"Well then! Guan Hai, you will shift the focus of your missionary work to the Laiwu region, northeast of Taishan County and east of the Wen River! It is rich in iron ore, which is essential for the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qingzhou! ... As for Hou Sheng, the chieftain of Jibei Kingdom, west of the Wen River in western Taishan County, you will be in charge of him!"

"Yes! We obey the Great and Wise Teacher, we obey the Heavenly Physician!..."

Upon hearing this, Hou Sheng, the chieftain of Jibei Kingdom, raised his head, glanced at the slightly nodding physician Zhang Bao, and then respectfully bowed to the two people at the head of the table. He was of medium build, with a thin face, drooping eyebrows, and a white spot in one eye, which made him look somewhat strange.

"It seems these chieftains are still reluctant to enter the mountains! If we could recruit a leader of the Taishan faction within Taishan County and have him wear the yellow turban, it would be much easier when we raise an army..."

Zhang Chengfu observed the expressions of the various commanders carefully. After thinking for a moment, he spoke again.

"Fellow commanders... I wonder if, within this Taishan County, among the prominent families, there are any renowned wealthy households, chivalrous heroes, or righteous individuals who would follow our Way of Peace?"

"Um…"

Zhang Rao, the chieftain of Qingzhou, pondered for a moment, glanced at the mature-looking young man at the head of the table, and smiled faintly. “Mount Tai is known for its many heroes! Indeed, there are quite a few brave and valiant men. Take Zang Ba, for example, who I just mentioned. And in Fei County to the south, there was another chivalrous man, Chang Xi, who fled with Zang Ba. Although he is a young man, he has quite a reputation for bravery!”

"Speaking of the most valiant, I knew someone seven or eight years ago when I was preaching, Ding Yuan and Ding Jianyang, who came from the south of the county! This man was extremely skilled with a spear; one man with a spear in hand could keep seven or eight men at bay! However, he later joined the army and traveled thousands of miles north to Bingzhou..."

"As for the other heroes of Mount Tai, I'm too old to count them all, unlike you young people who have such good memories..."

"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Commander Zhang!"

Hearing these words from a seasoned veteran, Zhang Cheng remained silent for a moment, then bowed and thanked him. This chieftain was indeed extremely senior, having long been a follower of the Way of Peace, changed his surname to "Zhang," and had always been the head of the Qingzhou chieftains. For a junior like himself to sit at the head of the table was naturally difficult to convince the other party.

Seeing the awkwardness on the scene, Hou Sheng, the commander of the Jibei Kingdom, stroked his chin and said with a smile.

"Haha! Jibei Kingdom borders Taishan County to the west. I do know a chivalrous man west of Mount Tai! He is not well-known and is only twenty years old, but he is actually brave, resolute, and has outstanding martial arts skills! He lives in Juping County, which is on the far west side of the Wen River. It is only about thirty miles away from my hometown in Jibei Kingdom. We can be considered acquaintances from the same hometown."

"This fellow villager of mine usually trains a dozen or so young men from his clan in martial arts; they're all quite skilled fighters. He used to hang out with Zang Ba and Chang Xi... Well, his family isn't exactly a powerful clan, just two or three hundred acres of mountain land, barely making them a wealthy household in the mountains?"

"Haha! As for his name, his surname is Yu, his given name is Jin, and he only recently acquired a more refined courtesy name, Wenze!..."

"Hmm? Yu Jin? Yu Wenze? Just from a wealthy family in a mountain village, with only two hundred acres of land?"

Upon hearing this name and hearing such a background, Zhang Chengfu's expression shifted, and he raised his head. His eyes brightened as he looked at Commander Hou Sheng, pondered for a few moments, and then smiled.

"Commander Hou, since you know such a brave and outstanding hero, could you perhaps summon him in the name of the Way of Peace?"

"Huh? Recruit him into my Taiping Dao?"

Commander Hou Sheng paused slightly, a hint of hesitation on his face.

"This...this fellow villager of mine has two or three hundred acres of land and dozens of relatives. He can barely be called a wealthy household, and he's even drunk the talisman water given by the Taiping Dao talisman masters. Logically speaking, we should be able to summon him! However, he's exceptionally skilled in martial arts and has some ambitions. Although he's associated with Zang Ba and Chang Xi, he's not quite like the average Taishan hero, so it might not be easy to summon him..."

"If you were given some money, such as two hundred strings of cash, and allowed to invite him, would he come?"

"Ah! Two hundred strings of cash? Eighty cows?!"

Upon hearing this number, Commander Hou Sheng was taken aback. He glanced at Zhang Jiao instinctively, then nodded affirmatively.

“The people in the mountains are poor. Even the wealthy families don’t own many cows, let alone have any way to get ahead. If there were a dowry of two hundred strings of cash, they could definitely be attracted! However, he might consider it for a while, perhaps for a month or so.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, and then said.

"A month is too long... If we send someone to offer gifts while hinting at a connection with the Duan family of Jiyin... could we summon this chivalrous hero Yu Jin within ten days to half a month?"

"Ah? Related to the Duan family, a powerful clan?! Once this is said, he will certainly not dare to disobey or delay, and will definitely bring his clan members here immediately! Dongping Continent, where we are, is only about seventy li away from Juping County. Counting the round trip, we should be able to arrive in ten days to half a month!..."

At this, Commander Hou Sheng immediately patted his chest, guaranteeing his success. Only after the two had finished speaking did the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao look at Zhang Chengfu meaningfully and ask a question.

"Chengfu, you want to recruit this chivalrous hero from Mount Tai into my Taiping Dao?"

"Yes! This disciple does indeed wish to recruit this chivalrous hero of Mount Tai, and not just this hero alone, but preferably forty or fifty people, or even more. They will soon be of use!"

Zhang Cheng bowed and spoke frankly to his master, Zhang Jiao.

"Next, we will take action against the Cheng, Li, and Man families... We need brave and capable men, preferably from chivalrous, wandering, or mountain backgrounds, not familiar faces from this area, and able to distance themselves from our Taiping Dao!"

"This scheme, using the eunuchs as a tool to eliminate the powerful families and clans of Yanzhou, is an open plot. Even if the eunuchs and gentry find out, they won't stop... But if I can delay or minimize the exposure, that would be better. Therefore, I intend to recruit several dozen brave and valiant heroes and mountain dwellers from Mount Tai to facilitate our actions, especially when dealing with the powerful Li family!..."

"Therefore, I beg you, Master, to lend me two hundred strings of cash to give to Commander Hou so that he can recruit some brave men from the mountains for me!"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao gazed intently at his murderous young disciple for a moment. This disciple, eager to plan and execute, certainly needed a group of capable fighters as his own core force… and choosing the mountain people of Mount Tai, who posed no competition with other leaders, was a good fit…

After a moment's hesitation, the great teacher Zhang Jiao finally nodded. He looked into the distance, gazing at the desolate twilight, and quietly made his decision.

“Alright! The Duan family has given you a lot of money, so I'll add another two hundred strings of cash, making it four hundred strings in total.”

"Hou Sheng, take four hundred strings of cash and go to Juping County to recruit this group of heroes and villagers from Mount Tai. You have half a month to go and return quickly!"

"Judging by the time, the Duan family's communication with Luoyang should have yielded results by now. Once the Duan family's blade arrives, the situation in Yanzhou will be..."

"The heavens are desolate, the world is indifferent; ultimately, bloodshed is inevitable!"

(End of this chapter)